Hunting in a CWD world

[Jcalder]

Not true for our area. We aren't killing the same number of mature bucks (ie. 4.5 or older). You can still kill 3.5 year olds, even with CWD, there are a fair number of those bucks. But, the older bucks are far far fewer in number. With the infection rate at 50% for bucks, half won't live to maturity. We have picked up many more dead heads this fall than I've ever seen. This is all anecdotal evidence but it's very real to me.

The difference is twra wants y'all to kill every deer you see, severely impacting the age structure. Outside of that, the areas that have had CWD for decades and the area in Tn aren't gonna have that much difference in infection rate and survival rate either. Those dead heads could have died from anything. Considering it takes years to actually kill an animal, most deer will die from something else other than CWD. I'm not ignorant enough to think that some won't die because of it, but I'm also not ignorant enough to think the herd size dropped that much in 2-3 seasons because these deer have become infected. What percentage of deer checked are actually positive? What percentage of deer checked in are actually sent off to be checked for CWD? The sky is not falling in. It's something we will all have to live with eventually but deer hunting is not over and can still be fun and you can still kill mature deer!

 

[fairchaser]

All our harvested deer, 100% have been tested for the last three years. We know exactly what the infection rate is on 18000 acres. The size of the herd size has not been affected that much. As you say, the deer will reproduce. The herd will survive CWD. Individual deer who catch CWD do not survive. Our infection rate is 50-60% for bucks and 25-30% for does. The infection rate for does could be lower because there is no preference for age in the harvest as there are for bucks. Essentially you have a large percentage of the deer herd with a much shorter life span than they would have otherwise. The dead heads are anecdotal but they do pile up. CWD is not the end of deer hunting. It just makes it less attractive than it once was.

 

[timberjack86]

Not true for our area. We aren't killing the same number of mature bucks (ie. 4.5 or older). You can still kill 3.5 year olds, even with CWD, there are a fair number of those bucks. But, the older bucks are far far fewer in number. With the infection rate at 50% for bucks, half won't live to maturity. We have picked up many more dead heads this fall than I've ever seen. This is all anecdotal evidence but it's very real to me.

Y'all are killing them all, just to test them!

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

I'll continue to listen to those in states with 15+ years of CWD.

They've all told me the sky isn't in fact falling and after they realized that it's been just fine

The TWRA will eventually get there but they are still in panic mode.

 

[Realtree56]

How long does it typically take to get results? I'm in East Tn but hunt in Henderson county some, my game plan for now is debone them out there (pretty much did that anyway except the shoulders) freeze it when I get home and wait on a negative test before grinding or consuming any of it.

 

[Andy S.]

How long does it typically take to get results?

2-3 weeks has been my experience.

 

[fairchaser]

How long does it typically take to get results? I'm in East Tn but hunt in Henderson county some, my game plan for now is debone them out there (pretty much did that anyway except the shoulders) freeze it when I get home and wait on a negative test before grinding or consuming any of it.

Depends on when they pick it up and where they send it. The quickest is 5-6 days up to two weeks. The good news is they can test it here now and they don't have to send it off to Colorado.

 

[Andy S.]

Buddy in unit CWD just got results back from a 2.5 year old doe he killed last Wednesday. One week turn around. She was positive for CWD, but sort of expected because she was at ground zero.

 

[Headhunter]

I'll continue to listen to those in states with 15+ years of CWD.

They've all told me the sky isn't in fact falling and after they realized that it's been just fine

The TWRA will eventually get there but they are still in panic mode.

Best reply I have seen about CWD. Seems like the TWRA would have already figured this out.

 

[BigAl]

Y'all are killing them all, just to test them!

Less deer are being killed now than before CWD was present. Probably different reasons for the downturn in harvest. But for those that say TWRA is decimating the herd in CWD zones better check the stats.

 

[Omega]

Less deer are being killed now than before CWD was present. Probably different reasons for the downturn in harvest. But for those that say TWRA is decimating the herd in CWD zones better check the stats.

Its probably more to do with hunters going elsewhere than anything else, especially out of state or out of area hunters that don't want to risk not getting to keep their harvest.

 

[easy45]

Luckily nothing has changed about my routine except waiting for the test results. I killed a doe on our place by Ames earlier in the season. Lucky for me she was negative.

 

[Omega]

Luckily nothing has changed about my routine except waiting for the test results. I killed a doe on our place by Ames earlier in the season. Lucky for me she was negative.

You being in the zone, would you travel out of it if you had elsewhere to go? Or are you traveling to the zone to hunt?

 

[gatodoc]

You being in the zone, would you travel out of it if you had elsewhere to go? Or are you traveling to the zone to hunt?

I travel to zone to hunt....been lucky no positives yet but see more deer in 2 days than I see in 2 weeks in East tn

 

[PossumSlayer]

TWRA released a video about Henry county, didn't watch.

 

[easy45]

You being in the zone, would you travel out of it if you had elsewhere to go? Or are you traveling to the zone to hunt?

Yea I would probably go out of it but I wouldn't give my farms up in the zone, they still produce. I live in it also though.

 

[Omega]

Yea I would probably go out of it but I wouldn't give my farms up in the zone, they still produce. I live in it also though.

I kind of figured that was the deal. I am in Montgomery County, Unit L, and if/when it gets here I don't see myself hunting elsewhere. I don't have an issue with CWD venison, it's probably safer than these so called vaccines, but will follow protocol when I have to.

 

[Wolverine72]

So far, I've submitted 2 deer for testing.
Sept 26th and October 2nd.
Still waiting for results on each deer? Anybody else experiencing this kind of wait?

Deer submitted for testing in Wilson county/ cedars of lebanon

 

[Pilchard]

So far, I've submitted 2 deer for testing.
Sept 26th and October 2nd.
Still waiting for results on each deer? Anybody else experiencing this kind of wait?

Deer submitted for testing in Wilson county/ cedars of lebanon

If these are TWRA tests at a processor, you'll only hear something if they are positive.

 

[fairchaser]

So far, I've submitted 2 deer for testing.
Sept 26th and October 2nd.
Still waiting for results on each deer? Anybody else experiencing this kind of wait?

Deer submitted for testing in Wilson county/ cedars of lebanon

Have you looked on the website for results? That's a long time to wait. No news maybe good news.